Cheese and garlic bread

I hate processed things. You will never find any ready made sauces or packets of just add boiling water in my cupboard, but there is one recipe which uses processed cheese spread, that I do make.  Since I can remember my mom makes this garlic bread and people always enjoy it when I make it.  Since certain people in my household despises garlic, I am not allowed to add it, but even without the garlic it is still very moorish.

Serve it at your next braai, as a pre-dinner snack or even with soup.

125g butter, at room temperature

1 jar cheddar cheese spread (225g)

50ml dry sherry

25ml fresh parsley, chopped

fresh garlic, finely chopped, to taste

1 baguette or ciabatta

Blend all the ingredients (except the bread).  Slice the bread into 2 - 3 cm thick slices.  Spread each slice with the cheese mixture and form into a loaf again.  Wrap tightly in foil, shiny side inside.   Bake at 150 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

This lovely tart tastes as good as it looks.  Again, as I like all my recipes, this is very easy and impressive!  Make sure you use very red, ripe tomatoes.  I always make my tarte tatins in a normal rectangular oven pan, that way there is no need to cut the pastry and none of it goes to waste.  You can do most of the work before hand and only bake the tart once your guests arrive.

8 -10 very ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters

4 red peppers, pips removed and cut into sixths

olive oil and butter

6 red onions, sliced

3/4 cup sugar

1 roll puff pastry (If you live in South Africa, buy the Woolworths puff pastry, it might be a bit more expenssive, but tastes much better and always rises beautifully)

Toss the tomatoes and red peppers in olive oil and arrange in a baking tray, skin side down.  Bake for 30 - 45 minutes at 220 degrees until golden.  Leave to cool.  I am not very fond of the skins of the tomatoes and peppers.  When cooked they can easily be removed.  If you don't mind the skins, by all means, leave them on.

In the meantime, saute the onions in some olive oil and a big knob of butter slowly over low heat. Take your time, the onions shouldn't be brown but soft and sweet.  Season and cool.

Make a caramel as described, using the sugar.  When ready pour into an oven pan.  Arrange the tomatoes and peppers in a neat pattern on the caramel. Then spoon over the  onions.  You can now leave it as is until ready to be baked.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Roll out the puff pastry to the same size as the oven pan.  Place on top off the onions, tucking in the sides and bake until puffed and golden, approximately 30 minutes.  Invert onto a large platter (be careful not to burn) and garnish with fresh rocket if preferred.

Banana bread

We all end up with over ripe bananas in the fruit basket sometimes and this is surely the best way to use them.  The bananas should be soft enough to be easily mashed up with a fork.  If the bananas are still fairly firm, rather process with a food processor until smooth.  The same batter can be used to make muffins, the quantity below will make one loaf or approximately 14 muffins.

125g butter at room temperature
250g castor sugar
2 eggs
60 ml plain yogurt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
250g flour
a pinch of salt
cinnamon sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, while still creaming.  Blend the bicarb with a little bit of water and add with the yogurt to the creamed mixture.  Fold in the bananas.  Sift the flour and salt and fold into the banana mixture. 

Spoon into a well greased loaf tin and dust with cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 180 degrees for 50 minutes.  Cover the top with a piece of foil if it darkens too much.  Let it cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out.